Car-coupling



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. R. FINE.

GAR GOUPLING.

No. 448,949. Patented Mar. 24, 1891.

@www

`(No Model.)

W. R. PINE. CAR COUPLING.

No. 448,949. Patented Mar. 24, 191.

2 Sheets- Sheet 2.

@reirse STA-ras PATENT Prien.

IVILLIAM R. FINE, OF IVILSONVILLF., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO VILLIAM II.PENLANI), OF NEIVPORT, TENNESSEE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 448,949, dated March2t, 1891.

Application filed December 8, 1890x Serial No. 373,923. (No model.)

T0 all whom, t may concern:

Beit known that I, IILLIAM R. FINE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Wilsonville, in the county of Cocke and State of Tennessee,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplers; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has reference to an improvement in car-couplers, its objectbeing to provide a simple, cheap, and efficient coupler consisting ofbut few parts, operating automatically and adapted for use with eitherfreight or passenger cars, and capable of being uncoupled either fromthe sides or top of the car 5 and the invention consists, essentially,in the construction, arrangement, and Pombination of parts and in thecombination of the mechanical equivalents of the several parts, allsubstantially as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the annexed drawings, illustrating my invention7 Figure l is a sideelevation of my improved car-coupler. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of thesame. Fig. 3 is a side elevation similar to Fig. l, but showing theparts in the position that they occupy when uncoupling. Fig. a is ahorizontal section. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of my coupler, theseveral parts thereof being shown arranged in operative position inconnection with a draw-head, and said parts being represented in theposition that they occupy when the couplinghas been effected. Figft is adetail perspective view of one of the parts, said part being that whichis provided with a pin-hole. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of thepivoted linklifting latch or plate. Fig. 8 is an outline side elevationof the coupler, showing the parts in the position that they assume afteruncoupling.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts throughoutall the different figures of the drawings.

A denotes the draw-head, which may be of any suitable and preferredconstruction, it having a hollow interior and an open front end ormouth, which is designed to be entered by the link C.

lVithin the draw-head A is a sliding or reciprocating bar F, which isprovided w1th a central longitudinal recess or slot F2. Be-

hind this sliding bar F is coiled a springf,

which lies around a horizontal rod or pin F which is connected to therear end of the slide F and is itself held in a proper bearing, so thatthe slide Fis thus spring-actuated, the spring operating to normallykeep the 6o slide pressed forward into a position near the mouth of thedraw-head and said spring operating to return the slide to this forwardposition whenever it may have been temporarily retracted. The forwardends of the two 6 5 sides of the sliding bar F are formed with curved orinclined faces f j", against which the link strikes when it enters thedraw-head for the purpose of coupling, and said sides of the bar F justbelow the curved faces f are 7o suitably recessed or provid ed with ashoulder, against or into which the end of the link C slides from theaforesaid faces f. The slide F may therefore be termed a spring-actuatedskeleton' slide.

On the upper surface of the draw-head is a suitably-formed flat plate B,which carries a rigid vertical post B', which is surrounded by a coiledspring l). The upper end of this post B passes through the perforatedend of 8o a curved standard A', which is bolted or otherwise firmlysecured to the front end of the draw-head A on the upper side thereof,as clearly shown in Figs. l and 5. The spring b is tensioned between theend of the stand- 8 5 ard A and the plate B. Thus it will be seen thatthe plate B may have a vertical movement above the upper side of thedraw-head, on which it rests, and that wheneverv it 'may for any purposebe raised above said draw- 9c head the spring b will operate to returnit into close contact with the draw-head. This plate B carries adownwardly-projecting pin D, secured to the under side thereof near therear end and passing down through suitable 95 pcrforations in the upperand lower sides of the draw-head A, and also through the central recessf2 in the spring-actuated slide F; also, the plate B carries thecoupling-pin E, which is connected thereto near the forward roo end, andwhich passes down th rough the drawhead and the recess F2. It is clearlyevident that the slide Fin its reciprocations plays oneach side ofthe-pin D and the couplingpin E. The coupling-pin E may be connected tothe plate B in any manner that'I may be desired. Furthermore, the plateB carries at one side a downward projection or angleplate b', having aninclined edge. The slide F also carries a small bar, plate, or leg c,having an inclined edge parallel to the edge of the projection Z1', saidinclined part c being connected by the pin c', as shown in Fig. it, tothe slide F, the wall of the draw-head A being. provided with ahorizontal slot a, within which the pin c has an opportunity to movefreely d uringtheback-and-forth motion of the slide F, A force pressingupon the front end of the sliding bar F will cause the incline cto pressagainst the incline l1 and lift the latter from the position shown inFig. tl, thus causing the plate B to be lifted until the end of theincline c passes the end of the incline e and allows the latter, withits connected plate, to drop under the force of the spring?) into theposition shown in Fig. l, where the coupling-pin is in engagementwiththe coupling-link, and therefore, if the link be the force which exertsits pressure upon the front end of the slide F, the result willobviously be to effect a coupling, the pin being thrust through the linkby the downward tendency of the spring 1;.

G designates a horizontal shaft running transversely through thedraw-head A and having bearings therein and terminating in each end oneither side of the car, atwhich points it is preferably provided withcranks G', as shown in the drawings, so that a person standing on theside of the car and grasping one of these handles can shift or rock theshaft G.

Below the draw-head is a W-shaped or twoarmed yoke or lever H, which hasa sleeve 7L, which surrounds that Dart of the rock-shaft G lying withinthe d raw-head, said sleeve 7L being secured rigidly by means of aset-screw or other suitable means to said rock-shaft, so that it willvibrate with it, and thus cause the two-armed lever to partake of asimultaneous vibration. This lever 1I has its arms preferably curved sothat it partakes of the form of a W, one of said arms being denoted bythe reference-letter Il', and extending in a compound curve backwardlyor rearwardly, its top end 7L adapted to rest beneath (at the propertime) the lower end of the downwardlyextending pin D, while the forwardarm H2 of this W-lever II is likewise curved and has its top end adaptedto come in contact with and 'operate against the under side of a pivotedlink-lifting latch K. rlhe form of this double lever II may varyconsiderably without departing from my invention, the primary design andpurpose of said lever being to provide a rearwardly-extending arm whichcan operate beneath the pin D and an upwardlyextending arm which canoperate against a link-lifting latch, both of said arms being formedintegral and rigidly connected to a device which can be operated fromeither side of the car or from the top thereof by connections to bepresently explained.

Contiguous to the point where the rockshaft G is journaled in thedraw-head'there is located a perforated block I, (shown in detailenlarged perspective in Fig. 6,) said block I being placed hdrizontallyand having the perforations i2, through which the lower end of thecoupling-pin E enters, and which perfox-ation is designed to receive andcontain the lower end of the pin, except at the times when it may betemporarily lifted out of the same during coupling or uncoupling. Saidblock I is connected to the draw-head so as to be suitably held inplace. It is formed on its upper sides with grooves t" t" and with ahorizontal perforated tongue fi. This tongue is designed to enter arecess j in the link-lifting latch J, which latch is pivoted to the saidblock I by a pivot passing through the tongue i. Further, the latch J isprovided on its upper side with grooves y" j', parallel to each otherand designed to receive the two parallel sides of the link l, which canrest thereon. If the top end of the forward arm Il2 of the two-armedlever strikes against the under side of the link-lifting latch J, itwill operate to shift the same from its position shown in full lines inFig. 5 to the position shown in dotted lines in the saine figure, andthe result will be to lift the outer end of the link C, and thusgraduate its horizontalityto correspond with the height of the draw-headof a car which the said link may be at any time approaching for the purposc of coupling with.

IVe have -already seen that the rock-shaft G is provided at each end(see Fig. 2) with cranks G G,situated at the sides of the cars, wherebythe shaft can be rocked and uncoupling effected at any time. It isobvious that mechanism will be necessary whereby this shaft may berocked by the person on top of a car. I therefore provide the shaft withan arm L, securely fastened thereto, the end of which arm is pivoted tothe lower end of an upright M,which extends up to the top of the freightor other car, and is arranged so as to be readily manipulated byabrakeman at that point'. The brakeman by pressing downward upon the rodM will rock the shaft G and uncouplc the coupler.

I will now proceed to describe the operation of my improved coupler,which will be readily apparent from the foregoing description of theconstruction and arrangement ot' the several parts. IVheu the device isuncoupled and the parts are in the position that they occupy inreadiness for coupling, these parts will occupy the position shown inFig. 8, t he spring-actuated slide being pressed forward so that itscurved faces f will be near the outer end of the draw-head. If now thelink strikes against said faces f and drops into the notch or againstthe shoulder just below ICJ IIO

these spaces, said link continues to press upon the slideF,forcingitbackward. The couplingpin will be lifted in the manner that I havealready pointed out and caused to drop into the link, engaging the same.Whenever it may be desired to uncouple, all that, the brakeman will needto do will be to, by means of the crank at the sides of the caror thedevice at the top of the car, rock the shaft G and lift the pin until itbecomes disengaged from the link and until the incline b becomesdisengaged from the incline c in the manner shown in Fig. 3, when thespring behind the slide F will be free to act to throw out said slide,and thus eject the link from the drawhead, after which the parts willresume the position shown in Fig. 8. It will be observed that therotation of the shaft G 0r its partial rocking will vibrate thetwo-armed lever H` and cause the end thereof which lies between the postD to act upwardly, forcing said post up, and thereby lifting thecoupling-pin. In this Way the coupling-pin is enabled to rise in the actof coupling or uncoupling. Suppose now that the coupler has the linkengaged therewith and is carrying the same, as shown in Fig. l and alsoin Fig. 5. Suppose that the car carrying the link in this manner isapproaching another car with which it is desired to couple, and that thedraw-head on the car which is being approached is not of the same heightas the draw-head A, (shown in Fig. 1,) which is carrying thecouplinglink C. Suppose that the drawhead on the car being approached ishigher. 'lhen obviously, if the link C be permitted to remain in thehorizontal position which it occupies in Fig. 5 the coupling will not beproperly eected, because the link will not be properly introduced intothe draw-head of the other car. Therefore it is necessary to lift thelink more or less, so that its end may be readily introduced into themouth of the other draw-head. Ordinarily this lift has to be done by theperson going between the cars, which is dangerous to life and limb. Bythe provision of the pivoted link-lifting latch J, (shown in detail inFig.7,) said latch `being pivoted to the block I and adapted to normallyrest upon the transverse bar K, I am enabled to lift the link for thepurpose just indicated and cause it to occupy the position shown indotted lines in Fig. 5. This is done by causing the rock-shaft G tooscillate in an opposite direction from what it does in uncoupling, saidoscillation being accomplished either by pulling upward upon the rod Mor by manipulating the cranks G G in the opposite direction from whatthey would be turned in uncouplin g. This reverse vibration of therock-shaft causes the tip end of the arm H2 of the W-shaped lever H tostrike against the under side of the pivoted latch J and move the sameupon its pivot,

lifting its forward end into the position shown y in dotted lines inFig. 5, and thus causing it to push` the link upward, so that its outerend may be of the proper height to be readily insorted into thedraw-head of the other car.

'lhis is an important feature of the invention.-

lever connected to said shaft and operating` on the auxiliary pin.

In a car-coupler, the combination of the d raw-head, the slotted slidetherein, the plate carrying near the rear end the downwardlyprojectingauxiliary pin and near the forward end a coupling-pin, said plate havinga vertical movement, the coupling-link, the vibrating shaft journaledtransversely in the draw-head, and the two-armed lever connected to saidshaft and having the endof one of its arms operating beneath theaforesaid auxiliary pin, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the draw-head, the spring-actuated sliding bartherein, the plate on top of the drawhead, provided with a spring andhaving a downwardly-projecting coupling-pin and an auxiliary pin, acouplinglink, a transverse rock-shaft in the draw-head, a two-armedlever connected thereto and hav- IOO ing the end of one of its armsoperating be-A neath the auxiliary pin, and a pivoted linklifting latchbelow the link and operated upon by the end of the other arm of the saidlever, substantially as described.

5. The combination of the draw-head, the spring-actuated sliding bartherein, the plate on the top of the draw-head, having theupwardly-extending post provided with a spring and connecting with astandard on the drawhead, said plate having also a coupling-pin and anauxiliary pin connected thereto and extending downwardly through thedrawhead, a coupling-link, a rock-shaft adapted to be operated eitherfrom the side or top of the car by suitable connections, and a leverconnected to said shaft and operating beneath the bottom end of theauxiliary pin, substantially as described.

6. The combination of the draw-head, the spring-actuated slotted slidingbar therein, the spring-actuated vertically-movable plate on the top ofthe draw-head and provided with the downwardly-extending coupling-pinand auxiliary pin, a coupling-link, a block in the base of thedraw-head, having a pin-hole adapted to receive the coupling-pin, alinklifting latch pivoted to said block, a rockshaft journaledtransversely in the draw- IIO head, and a lever connected to saiddraw-head and having two arms, one of which operates beneath the lowerend of the aforesaid auxiliary pin and the other operates beneath thelink-lifting latch, substantially as described.

7. rlhe combination of the draw-head, the spring actuated sliding bartherein, the spring-actuated plate carrying a downwardlyprojectingcoupling-pin and the auxiliary pin, an inclined projection on the sideof said plate, and another inclined project-ion on the sliding bar,which projections operate in connection with each other, sulistantiallyas described.

8. Thecombination of the draw-head having an open mouth and a side slotand suitable perforations at top and bottom, a springactuated slottedsliding bar provided with a projection working through the said slot ofthe draw-head, which projection carriesan incline, a spring-actuatedplate on the top of the d raw-head, movable vertically and carrying thedownwardly-projecting coupling-pin and auxiliary pin, said plate havingan inclined projection operating in connection with the other incline,the coupling-link, the rockshaft, and the two-armed lever, the end ofone of which arms operates beneath the auxiliary pin, substantially asdescribed.

9. The combination of the draw-head, the sliding bar therein, thespring-actuated plate carrying the coupling-pin and auxiliary pin, thecoupling-link, and the rock-shaft, with the two-armed lever connectedthereto, the arms of said lever being' suitably curved,one

projecting forwardly and the other rear-v wardly, the tip of therearwardly-projecting arm operating beneath the auxiliary pin, While thetip of the forwardly-projectingarm is adapted at the proper time tooperate beneath the link-lifting latch for the purpose ot' adjusting thehorizontality of the link.

10. The combination of the draw-head, the sliding bar therein, the plateB, carrying the upwardly-projecting post B and the downwardly-projectingcoupling-pin E, pin D, the curved standard A on the draw-head,perforated at one end to permit the passa-ge therethrough of the postB', the spring b,

coiled around said post, the link C, and the two-armed lever,substantially as described.

1l. `The eombination,with the draw-head A, having the spring-actuatedslotted slide-bar therein, and provided at its forward end with curvedfaces and ashoulder, and the verticallymovable spring-actuated platecarrying the downwardly-projecting coupling-pin and the auxiliarypin,the link C, the transverse shaft G, havin gcran k ends and aconnect-ion with the top of the car, and the two-armed lever ll, havingarms Il and H2, substantially as described.

12. rlhe combination, with the draw-head and the spring-actuated slidingbar therein, of the link C, the pivoted link-'lifting latch J, and therock-shaft G, carrying the two-armed lever Il, the forwardly-extendingarm Ilzot which operates beneath thelatch J.

13. The combination of the draw-head A,

the coupling-pin E, block I,havingapin-hole i2, the link-liftin g latchJ, pivoted to the projection i of said block, the link l, resting onsaid latch J, and the shaft G, havingthe twoarmed lever Il connectedrigidly thereto, the forward arm Il2 of which operates beneath the latchJ, substantially as described.

It. The combination of the draw-headA, the spring-actuated slottedsliding bartherein, the spring-actuated vertically-movable plate Il,carrying the pin E and the pin D, thelink C, and the rock-shaft G,together with the two-armed lever ll, having arms I'I and Il?, the tipend 7L ot which arm II operates beneath the pin D, substantially asdescribed.

l5. The combination of the 'draw-head A, the spring-actuated bar F,plate B, having upwardly-extending post B', enveloped by spring l), andhaving the downwardly-projecting coupling-pin E and the pin D, theIblock I, having the pin-hole i?, rock-shaft G, and the two-armedvibratory lever Il, having arms II and Il?, substantially as described.In testimony whereof I afx my signature presence of two witnesses.lVIIiLIAM R. FINE. Witnesses:

ALLEN G. BRYANT. J. M. STUART.

